The funding has provided new premises in a former council building for Andover Medical Centre, including seven consultation and examination rooms, three treatment rooms, a patient waiting area and modern staff and meeting spaces.  

Councillor Ruth Hayes, Islington Council's executive member for health and social care, said: ‘This partnership demonstrates what can be achieved when the council and NHS work together to improve services for local people. 

‘The new Andover Medical Centre provides modern facilities for patients today while creating opportunities to expand and improve healthcare services in the years ahead.'

Andover Medical Centre was established in 2008 by Dr Amita Varma and Dr Debashis Singh. Since becoming a training practice in 2010, the surgery has helped train future GPs, nurses, pharmacists and other healthcare professionals, many of whom have gone on to continue working in the area.  

Dr Debashis Singh, GP partner at Andover Medical Centre, said: ‘Our ambition has always been to provide outstanding care for our community while treating every patient with compassion and respect. As our patient population grew, it became increasingly clear that we needed a larger home that would allow us to expand and improve the services we provide. 

‘The new medical centre gives us a light, calm and safe environment for patients and staff, and provides a strong foundation for future growth. We hope it will become a centre of excellence for healthcare in the area, with the potential for other health services to join us in the future, helping deliver a more joined-up experience for local people.'